Pay incentives and better onboard facilities are key requirements for solving shipping’s worsening manpower crisis, according to the chairman of ’s leading manning forum. Organized by Lloyd’s List Events, the 11th European Manning & Training conference takes place in , on May 20-21 on the back of a prolonged shipping boom that now sees demand for seafarers far outstrip supply. Coupled with the developing world’s increase in better paid jobs ashore, the recruitment crunch is being felt even in major crew supply nations like , where maritime academies are struggling to fill just 1,000 places a year. Conference chairman Capt. Kurt Buchholz, managing director of V.Ships (), acknowledges there is a problem but asks: “Is there really a shortage?